by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Editor

At the quarter-final stage of the Women’s Singles event, Doo Hoi Kem beat colleague Jiang Huajun, the no.5 seed (11-6, 6-11, 11-7, 11-8, 13-11); earlier in the Women’s Doubles competition it had been success when facing Ng Wing Nam and Minnie Soo Wai Yam, the no.5 seeds, also from Hong Kong.

Success but it was hard fought success; Doo Hoi Kem and Lee Ho Ching needed the full five games to ensure victory (11-9, 11-13, 11-9, 10-12, 11-6).

Progress in both the Women’s Singles and Women’s Doubles events for Doo Hoi Kem; it was exactly the same for Sweden’s Matilda Ekholm.

Partnering Hungary’s Georgina Pota and occupying the no.2 seeded position in the draw; at the semi-final stage, the duo overcame Chinese Taipei’s Lin Po-Hsuan and Wang Yi-Ju, the no.3 seeds (12-10, 11-6, 11-6).

A straight games win, later in the evening it was the very same in the last eight of the Women’s Singles event. Matilda Ekholm, the no.4 seed, overcame Portugal’s Shao Jieni, the no.7 seed without a hiccup (11-8, 11-8, 11-7, 11-5).

“I am actually surprised that the match was four-nil. We both are players of equal calibre, but today my forehand tops pins were flawless. I landed all those balls  on the table. After winning the Swiss open last week, I am confident”, Matilda Ekholm after beating Shao Jieni

At the semi-final stage Matilda Ekholm meets Doo Hoi Kem; in the other half of the draw the decision has yet to be made.

On the penultimate day of play, Saturday 18th February, Georgina Pota, the no.3 seed meets Ng Wing Nam, the no.8 seed; qualifier Mak Tze Wing, also from Hong Kong, opposes Japan’s Sakura Mori, the no.6 seed.

Outcomes as status predicted in the Women’s Singles and Women’s Doubles events on the evening of the second day of play, it was the same in the Men’s Doubles semi-finals.

Japan’s Masataka Morizono and Yuya Oshima, the top seeds, beat Hong Kong’s Jiang Tianyi and Lam Siu Hang, the no.3 seeds (12-10, 11-5, 12-10); Germany’s Ruwen Filus and Ricardo Walther, the no.2 seeds, accounted for compatriots Benedikt Duda and Steffen Mengel, the no.8 seeds (11-7, 11-6, 6-11, 11-4).

The finals of both the Men’s Doubles and Women’s Doubles events are scheduled for Sunday 19th February.